Travels in Various Parts of Europe. By Gilbert A. W.
Harrison. (Bemrose and Sons.)—It is rather unfortunate, to say the least of it, that the type of this book is so small, and exhibits therefore so great a contrast to the illustrations, which are photographic in their realism. For this much may be said for Mr. Harrison, that, although in travelling over Europe he follows the beaten track, and, indeed, a whole host of beaten tracks—he could not well have helped himself—he does not write in a conventional style. On the contrary, be has an open. mind and a sharp pen, and never hesitates to say outright what he happens to have in his mind. He might, indeed, have spared us a little of his loquacity. His book would have been better without his politics, or such egotistic inanities as :—" Now, it is a curious fact that I cannot say ' spoon' in any language but English. This is, perhaps, owing to my not being of a spoony ' disposition." Wherever Mr. Harrison travelled during the years 1888, 1889, and 1890—and he travelled in England, Scotland, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy—he speaks his mind in a decided, hearty fashion. Thus, he says outright :—" I was very disappointed with the food in Scotland. The scones were nasty things, the whiskey I did not like, and the oatcake was hard. Whilst in Edinburgh, I ordered a Haggis, which nearly made use sick." (The italics are Mr. Harrison's.) Again, we learn that at Angouleme "the shoe- cleaning was very badly done, and my sovereigns were only valued at twenty-four francs each." In spite of numerous weaknesses, this is a readable, if also exasperating, book. It contains a great amount of information, although largely of the sort which women rather than men delight to collect and communicate.
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